ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512220031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
As if Virginia didn't have enough problems, Harold Deane was not on the floor when the starting lineups were announced Wednesday night.
``I didn't know when I'd go in the game,'' said Deane, who apparently was late for a team meeting, or some related offense, ``but I knew I would be out there when the game was on the line.''
The Cavaliers, who were down to seven scholarship players, spotted Virginia Commonwealth an eight-point halftime lead before pulling away for an 80-65 men's basketball victory at University Hall.
Sophomore forward Norman Nolan had a career-high 21 points, many coming on assists from Deane down the stretch, as 23rd-ranked Virginia raised its record to 4-2. VCU, losing for the third time in a row, fell to 5-5.
The Rams made their first four shots in taking a 9-0 lead, fell victim to a 13-0 Virginia run and then built their lead to 43-35 after shooting 50 percent in the first half.
``The big thing we talked about at halftime was their transition baskets, and then the first basket they got in the second half was [George] Byrd beating everybody back,'' Virginia coach Jeff Jones said. ``We didn't know what to think.''
The Rams led 51-44 when another fastbreak resulted in a Bernard Hopkins three-point play with 15:43 left. The Cavaliers took their first lead at 58-57 on a pair of free throws by freshman Courtney Alexander with 10:25 remaining.
Virginia's post players at the time were 7-foot-4 freshman Chase Metheney and 6-9 junior Martin Walton, a walk-on who had played four minutes all season. Starters Nolan and Chris Alexander had four and three fouls, respectively.
``A big part of the credit tonight goes to Martin,'' Jones said. ``He played hard defensively. He got a rebound bucket. It was kind of an unsung contribution, but we don't win the game tonight without Martin.''
UVa was without freshmen forwards Scott Johnson and Darryl Presley, who have been suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed violation and were in streetclothes on the bench.
``I was seriously concerned, particularly if we got in foul difficulty, which, obviously, we did,'' Jones said. ``If you had told me that before the game, I wouldn't have given us much chance to win.''
It didn't hurt that VCU made only 10 of 20 free throws in the second half, including only five of 14 during the stretch when UVa was beginning to pull away. To make matters worse, the Rams were 1-of-14 from the field over the last 111/2 minutes.
The only field goal over that stretch was by Hopkins, who had a game-high 24 points, 21 in the first 28 minutes. Junior-college transfer Patrick Lee, making his first start, had two early 3-point baskets and finished with 15 points.
Jamal Robinson, expected to make his first start of the season in place of Courtney Alexander, instead moved to point guard in place of Deane. Deane, who made his first appearance with 15:58 remaining in the half, had started 44 consecutive games.
Alexander, coming off a sprained ankle that contributed to a scoreless outing against Richmond, had 14 points and six rebounds. He also had four assists - three more than his total for the first five games.
But, the night belonged to UVa's previously maligned frontcourt players, including Metheney, who had four points and a team-high nine rebounds in 11 minutes. Chris Alexander, a step slow defensively in the first half, had three later blocks.
``I thought their inside people just flat took us to school in the second half,'' VCU coach Sonny Smith said.
In his previous two games, Nolan had taken 10 shots in 45 minutes. He was 9-of-14 from the field against the Rams.
``I think a lot of the things we've worked on for the last 10 days have helped him,'' Jones said. ``One of the things that was key - and had to make Norman feel good - was his teammates got him the ball.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB